“The guide book says this has been a sacred spot for millennia.  There are shrines and crap dating to the Neolithic around these springs.  Stupid primitives, praying to water.  Come on!  The others went this way.”

Margaux was pointing towards a path that appeared to wind around the fields.  I could hear Brad’s laughter from someplace behind her and felt a twinge.

“Hey, you go ahead with them,” I said.  “I need a little ‘Introvert Time’.  I’ll catch up later.”

“’Introvert Time’?  This entire vacation out in the middle of nowhere is all ‘Introvert Time’!  The quiet is creeping me out.”

I hated to have to spell it out, but she wasn’t taking the hint.  “The four of us have been jammed shoulder to shoulder for the last two days and I haven’t been able to breathe without touching someone.  I just need to be alone for a few minutes.”

“Fine, we’ll meet you later.”  She pivoted on her toe and strode off after the other two.  I could tell she was annoyed, but I felt that my head would explode if I had to take another minute of Brad’s laughter, April’s constant complaining or Margaux’s superiority over everything not 100% her own culture.

I’m not sure how I was ever talked into the venture.

We’d been dating for about six months and I thought it was time that we had a little vacation together.  She insisted on making it a foursome with her best friend, April, and April’s husband, Brad.  I agreed, against my better judgement.  I don’t think any of them had the curiosity of a gnat, and certainly not the attention span of one.

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